Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Week 12

Dear Sweet Pea,

Today I am 11 weeks along, and the end of this week will mark the end of the 1st trimester already! Hard to believe its going by so quickly. You will be about 6cm long and 9-13g this week so you're continuing to grow a lot. Your fingers and toes are now separated, and you can open your mouth and swallow amniotic fluid. Your muscles are developed enough to produce involuntary movements. Just yesterday I felt that popping sensation again. Its so fast, but I definitely notice it!

I am still suffering from pretty low energy, although the nausea seems to be letting up. I feel like my appetite is starting to increase which is great. I have still not put on any weight, but I imagine it won't be long before I do!

Any day now I could really start showing, as the uterus is getting bigger and bigger all the time to make room for you.

One funny symptom I've been having most nights is a stuffy nose! Its worse when I'm laying down, and I find myself having to get up at night to blow my nose. I am also thirsty all the time, and now I rarely leave the house without a bottle of water!
Next Wednesday we will meet the second midwife in our team of three. Daddy and I are really looking forward to hearing your heartbeat at that appointment!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Week 11

Dear Sweet Pea,

Today I am 10 weeks along, and you are growing very rapidly! This week your length will reach around 5cm, and you will weigh about 8g. You have fingernails now, and your gender should be obvious, though its still too early to see on an ultrasound. Essential organs are formed and are beginning to function. Your head accounts for about half of your size! Most people think you are a girl, and I tend to agree, though of course we will be happy with a boy, too. As long as you're healthy, that's all that matters.

I am still feeling about the same as I have been in the few previous weeks. Some days I feel exhausted and really nauseous, and other days aren't so bad. A few days ago, I felt like I may have been feeling a few of your movements, but its still so earlier that it could have just been gas. It felt like a tiny bubble popping very low in my abdomen. I can't wait until I am sure of your movements!
I haven't been feeling so bloated lately, which is great. I am able to fit back into that pair of work pants that I had put away a few weeks ago!

We announced almost two weeks ago that we are expecting you, to the rest of the family and everyone is so happy and excited!

I also got some great news yesterday: your Auntie Erin is hoping to make a trip over from Australia in June! She is hoping to come over a few days before you are due, in the hopes that she will both see me very pregnant, and get to meet you when you decide to make your arrival. That means you can't be too late! I've always envisioned Erin being with me when I gave birth but wasn't about to ask her to make the long trip home, especially since I really have no control over your birthday! It would be so nice to have her there, and she would really love to meet you right away. If she can get the time off work, she will stay for two weeks or so.

I took another belly pic this morning, but it doesn't look too different from the previous one.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Week 10

Dear Sweet Pea,

By the end of this week, you will have doubled your length from last week, reaching about 4cm, and you will weigh about 5 grams.

You are no longer an embryo, but a fetus now, and you've passed the most critical time of danger of abnormalities to occur. Taste and tooth buds have appeared, and your fingers and toes are more distinguised. Your joints are becoming more obvious, and you're able to bend your knees and elbows now. Your brain is developing rapidly.

As for me, my uterus should be about the size of an orange but I am still not really showing much (still mostly bloat!). Like the last few weeks, I am tired most of the time and nauseous a lot, but luckily I haven't had any morning sickness. Most of the time I don't feel like eating much, and prefer to just snack throughout the day as opposed to eating larger meals. I find that my moods swing easily sometimes, and my energy is generally pretty low. Looking forward to getting some energy back in the first trimester!

Friday, November 5, 2010

First Ultrasound!

Dear Sweet Pea,

Tonight we got our first look at you at the first ultrasound! I was so relieved to hear that everything is perfect! We saw your little heart beating away at 169 beats per minute. We could make out your head, hands, and feet. We didn't see you move, but the technician said she saw you wiggle a bit at one point. You are 1.79cm long, and are measuring 8 weeks exactly, so just 2 days behind my estimate. We got a few pictures to show which is so exciting! Our next look at you will probably be around 4 or 5 months along. By then we should be able to find out if you're a pink or blue bundle. Your grandma on my side has been convinced all along that you are a girl, so she has a 50% chance of being right!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Week 9

Dear Sweet Pea,

Today I am 8 weeks along, and you are 6 weeks into your development. You are just under an inch long now, and growing by about 1mm everyday. All of your organs are in place now, and your muscles continue their development. Your fingers and toes are starting to become more defined. You are moving around all the time, but I still can't feel you yet. On Friday, Daddy and I will be going for my first ultrasound. It will be exciting to get our first peek at you, and we should be able to see your heart beating away, as well.

I am having less days now where I feel exhausted, but it still doesn't take much to tire me out. I'm definitely having quite a bit of nausea, and I never know what will be the next sight or smell to set it off. I have been quite bloated, especially in the late afternoon and evening. Yesterday I conceded that one pair of dress pants no longer fits me comfortably :( Luckily I have another pair that's a little looser! Some days I feel like I could eat a horse, and other days, food just isn't appealing to me at all.

Just for kicks, here is a belly picture taken this morning. I am not sucking my tummy in at all, but again this is partly bloat, and partly fat!